[cifnmedia] Dieterich receives funds for firetruck

From: Sean & Kimberly Aaron <cifn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

To: CIFN LIST <cifnmedia@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2004 10:46:33 -0700 (PDT)

Local News
Dieterich receives funds for firetruck
By KIM WIEDMAN, Daily News
DIETERICH - More money will be coming to the Dieterich Fire Protection
District, and this lump of money will be used to purchase a new fire truck.
The Dieterich Fire Protection District was one of 63 fire departments and
districts to receive a no-interest loan through the state's new Revolving Fire
Truck Loan Program to purchase a new fire truck.
According to Fire Chief Mark Webb, the department will receive a loan of
$41,000 to purchase a brush truck, which will be used for fighting field fires,
brush fires and fires off the roadways. The department's trucks currently
consist of three pumpers, one tanker and one equipment, making the four-wheel
drive, 1-ton brush truck the first of its kind for the department.
Webb said the brush truck is smaller, which will make it easier to maneuver
when having to fight fires located off of the roadways.
"It is going to benefit our department because it will be easier to access
fires in fields and other areas that would be hard to get to with a big fire
truck," he said.
Assistant Fire Chief Micky Will agreed, adding that because the district the
department serves is primarily a rural district, firefighters often have
several calls that are located off main roadways.
"This will really help us fight fires located off the road," said Will. "A lot
of our calls are off of the roadway, so it will benefit the district by
allowing us to reach fires and help us protect property."
Will added by taking the large trucks off the roadway, the department risks
getting stuck and/or damaging its equipment.
The Fire Truck Revolving Loan Program, administered by the Office of the State
Fire Marshal, provides the no-interest loans to be repaid in 20 years, which
Webb said is a benefit to the community the fire district serves.
"It benefits the community because we won't have to come up with the money
right away for the truck," said Webb. "We will be able to pay back the loan
over 20 years, and any time you can borrow at 0 percent interest is a benefit."
According to the governor's office, more than 230 loan applications were
submitted earlier this spring for consideration and a nine-member review
committee comprising of representatives of the banking industry and fire
services made the selections based on need.
"It's critical that our local fire departments and district have the best
equipment and vehicles available as they work to protect citizens of Illinois,"
stated Gov. Rod Blagojevich in a press release. "I'm very pleased that we can
help these front-line responders get the fire trucks they need through this new
program."
State Fire Marshall J.T. Somer added in a press release that the new program is
a tremendous opportunity for local fire departments and districts to purchase
much-needed fire trucks without assuming a large financial burden.
"Obviously, these trucks are very expensive, and we are glad to be able to help
lessen the financial burden through these no-interest loans," he said in the
release.
Kim Wiedman can be reached at 217-347-7151 ext. 128 or
kwiedman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sean A. Aaron (CIFN*1)
Central Illinois Fire Network
cifn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.geocities.com/central_illinois_firenet
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